


Seen, Not Said

by kakera



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: M/M, Post-Canon, Speaking Without Words, the things you do not the things you say
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-09
Updated: 2015-04-09
Packaged: 2018-03-22 03:22:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3712945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kakera/pseuds/kakera
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Duo talks a lot. Wufei thinks a lot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seen, Not Said

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sazzykins](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sazzykins/gifts).



> Yees it's another tumblr prompt fic (my reblog of the prompt is [here](http://unfortunatelycake.tumblr.com/post/115890192392/send-me-a-ship-and-one-of-these-and-ill-write-a), kudos to the person who thought them up). 
> 
> And since sazzykins is the only one who replied, sazzykins gets more giftfic!  
> Prompt:  
> 5\. things you didn't say at all  
> Wufei/Duo

If any of the former Gundam pilots could be considered opposites, it was Wufei and Duo who were most unlike each other.

 

When Duo talked, he was carefree, determined, outraged, impassioned, cheerful, sad, lonely, bored. He didn't think about what he was saying, merely opened his mouth and let all the thoughts and feelings come tumbling out. Back in the day, Hilde used to tease him about it. Duo had been an open book as a child, and had remained that way when he grew into a man. Duo was the life and soul of every gathering, always knew what was happening with everybody, always thought to enquire about husbands and wives and children and cousins. Everybody loved Duo.

Wufei was quiet. His words - unless spat in a moment of sheer fury - were measured, thoughtful, turned over in his mind before he spoke them. Wufei had grown into a man who played his cards close to his chest, giving little indication into what he really thought or felt, unless he chose to reveal it. He rarely showed interest in the lives of others, and kept himself to himself. It wasn't that people didn't care about Wufei, more that he didn't let anybody get to know him. Even the other pilots hadn't been allowed that close.

Still, that didn't stop Duo from turning up at Wufei's apartment on a fairly frequent basis, with any excuse on earth for visiting.

He did so one evening and more or less invited himself in. Duo never had any reservations when it came to being forward.

Wufei regarded Duo thoughtfully. For once, it was hard to see what was on Duo's mind. Especially as he wasn't talking. "...Sit down. I'll bring some tea."

Duo looked up at him, a flicker of gratitude in his eyes. "Thank you, 'Fei."

 

Wufei's apartment had an open-plan kitchen and living area, so Duo sat on the couch and watched Wufei's strong, slender back as he made the tea. Duo had always been fond of Wufei, and that feeling had grown over the years. He admired Wufei's intelligence, his skill as a pilot, his stoic manner, his thoughtfulness. Although Wufei didn't speak much, it was obvious that Wufei _thought_ a lot. And whilst he seemed disinterested in other people, Wufei always managed to give gifts that were wanted, useful, or relevant to the person in question.

On Duo's last birthday, Wufei had given him a watch to replace his old one. Duo's old watch had been given to him by Sister Helen when he was a boy. It had been through battles with him and helped him show up to work on time every single day. Until an accident left it smashed into pieces, that is.

Duo had been gutted, and no other watch kept time like the old one. Then his birthday came around, and Wufei had gifted him a new one. It was exactly like the old one, almost an antique, but in slightly better condition than the one it replaced. And it kept perfect time. Duo treasured it like nothing else, though realised soon enough that Wufei came pretty close.

 

Duo smiled faintly as he thought back to the day when Wufei gave him that watch, and toyed with it on his wrist. Duo had always known that Wufei was kind. After discovering how much his watch was worth, Duo wondered if Wufei had been a little _too_ kind: it must have taken months to save enough.

And it was the watch that had started Duo wondering about Wufei...

 

As Wufei waited for the water to boil, he watched Duo's distorted reflection in the surface of the kettle. He didn't need to see that Duo was staring, because he could feel it. The sense put Wufei on edge; he'd never liked to be centre of attention and always preferred to be left quietly. Of course with Duo around, that wasn't likely to happen.

Wufei wondered what Duo was here for. In the past, Duo had invited himself over for obvious reasons: boredom, to share food he'd accidentally (on purpose) made too much of, to watch a horror movie, or to ask Wufei's opinion. Tonight didn't seem to be any of those things. The way Duo fidgeted made him look nervous, or maybe excited, and the look in his eyes, which Wufei still couldn't quite put a name too, had been warm and eager, yet guarded.

 

As Wufei set out two mugs and began to brew the tea, a thought occurred to him: maybe Duo had found a partner?

Wufei wasn't happy with the idea.

It was no secret that Duo liked guys, because Duo had never made a secret of it. Wufei simply... Well, he'd always hoped that if Duo found someone, it would be him.

Of course, he knew that hope was ridiculous. Wufei did his best not to let people see his feelings, and nobody knew he was gay. Everybody knew he'd been married once, and that his wife had died not long after--her death being the driving force behind Wufei becoming a Gundam pilot. Everyone assumed he was heterosexual. Wufei wasn't going to correct them. His sexuality wasn't any of their business.

When it came to Duo, though, Wufei wondered if he could share that secret. Maybe it would make something happen. But after knowing each other so long, it would be weird to tell Duo that he liked him. So Wufei kept his silence, and showed his affection in other ways: such as the mug that he now poured tea into, which featured a cute cartoon of a bat, the animal that Duo thought of as a good luck talisman these days.

Wufei's own mug was plain, pure white, devoid of any personality.

 

Duo smiled when Wufei brought their drinks over, automatically reaching for the bat mug--he knew it was his (and also knew that no other visitor had a 'special' mug).

Normally, Wufei sat in the chair to the side of the couch, but today he sat beside Duo, turned towards him.

Wufei smiled pleasantly. "So what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Don't be so formal, man, it's only us." Duo's voice was laid back, but he sat upright on the couch, tense. He sipped his tea.

"I'm glad," Wufei said quietly. Duo alone was more than enough. Duo alone was a treat.

"We have fun together, hm?" Duo looked up from his mug and saw the smile that confirmed it. "I love coming over here, 'Fei. You make me welcome, and you don't get annoyed when I turn up unannounced. It's great."

Wufei nodded, not feeling he could speak. He wanted to find out where Duo was going with this.

Duo continued, filling up the silence. "And you're great too, Wufei. I still..." he looked at the watch. "I really appreciate this, you know? It's the most thoughtful thing anyone ever gave me. And I wanted to give something back, so I got to thinking about what you might like."

"There really is no need, Duo," Wufei protested humbly. "I knew you were discomforted by the loss of your old one, so it was logical to replace it."

"You're getting formal again," Duo smiled warmly and touched Wufei's shoulder. "And I want to give you something. Besides, it's your birthday soon, right? Even if it wasn't, you deserve a gift for being such a great person."

Wufei's cheeks had gone pink. But before he could speak up to dissuade Duo, the brunette spoke up again.

"So anyway, I've been watching you," Duo looked apologetic as he said this. "Not in a weird stalker sense, just observing. You observe people too, don't you? It's how you know what people need."

Wufei nodded. If anyone was going to noticed that, it had to have been Duo. Duo never seemed to stop talking at times, but he noticed an awful lot.

Duo set his mug carefully on the coffee table. "You always give people something they want and need. As I watched you, I realised some things, and came to a pretty rapid decision about what to give you."

Wufei was curious now. There were very little material possessions that he wished for and if Duo had figured those out then he would want to know how. House plants and new coasters weren't exactly something that featured in Wufei's conversations, and he had nothing at home - or at work - to suggest he cared about those things. If Duo had hacked his computer, he might have found a lot more than he bargained for--notably, Wufei's personal diary. Wufei prayed Duo hadn't found that.

"You're wondering how I figured it out, right?" Duo had seen the look on Wufei's face, and hoped he was doing the right thing. Wufei looked worried.

"Well it was easy," Duo explained. "I think I figured it out when I went to get new watch batteries." That was when he found out how much his watch was worth (and subsequently began to realise how much he was worth to Wufei).

Wufei didn't hear the rest of Duo's explanation. It was confusing--what did batteries have to do with anything? Duo hadn't figured anything out at all, had he?

"And so I decided that I would give you what you love: me."

Wufei blinked. "Wh-"

Duo didn't give him a chance to argue. He cupped Wufei's jaw with one hand and swooped in for a kiss, his other hand grabbing Wufei's teacup from his shaking fingers before it ended up on the floor.

Wufei gasped against Duo's lips, too stunned to kiss back. Yet when Duo moved to pull away, Wufei followed, kissing him earnestly, not thinking about anything but not letting Duo go. But he had to eventually, and they broke apart for breath, staring at each other.

Duo was ecstatic. This had gone better than he'd hoped.

Wufei was outright amazed. "How did you realise?"

"I knew you didn't follow my explanation," Duo smiled and put Wufei's mug on the table beside his own. He threw an arm around Wufei's shoulders. "Basically, you told me yourself."

"But I never said anything, Duo..." Wufei leaned into Duo's touch, memorising the feeling of the muscular arms and firm torso that were hidden beneath Duo's shirt, and the way wisps of hair had escaped Duo's braid, and the pure, unshielded adoration that shone in Duo's eyes. How had he not seen that before? He might not have been so afraid, or so withdrawn...

Duo ran his hand over Wufei's smooth hair, daring to snatch the tie that held back the ebony strands. "It isn't in the words you say, but the words you don't. The way you behave, your gestures, your expressions..." Duo smiled, edging closer, wanting another kiss. "I love you too by the way. We've known each other a long time now, haven't we?"

Wufei understood. Those feelings had grown over that long time. Still... "You gambled on my loving you, didn't you?"

"Pretty much," Duo admitted. "But I figured your feelings must be pretty close to mine after all this time."

"You were right." Wufei kissed him, pulled him closer: _Duo. Be with me._

Duo kissed back and wrapped both arms around Wufei. He smiled happily. "I'm not going anywhere."

They sat in contented silence, for how long neither could tell. Wufei was deep in thought. Duo had worked him out without him even realising. Yet Wufei never had an inkling about Duo's feelings.

"I'm sorry, Duo. I never knew you felt this way," he said softly.

"Don't be," Duo rested his head against Wufei's. "I hid it. I wanted to be sure about you. And you know I'm the master of hiding."

Wufei tilted his head. Was there anything else that Duo was hiding?

"My heart was my only secret." Duo smiled. "Now its yours. Happy early birthday."

Wufei didn't answer with words. He answered with a kiss.


End file.
